Thanks ladies, it took me a long time to feel comfortable enough to try to make these changes. I am loving using fitday. I was so excited yesterday to have a tuna sandwich on wheat bread. ( I had pretty much given up eating any bread). I had posted that I had been eating 1400 cals a day on Atkins. OMG, was I off. I typed in my typical daily food on Atkins. I was eating 2300 cals a day. It was a huge eye-opener for me. I don't know how I was maintaining so well on that many cal's. It was only about 18 carbs a day. But, lots of meat, cheese, eggs and salad. I was having severe problems with constipation and taking lots of stimulants for this problem. I'm hoping my new WOE with all the additional fiber will help me. The experienced maintainers did tell me to expect a temporary water gain with this change. I am up 1 lb. but my jeans are looser and my tummy is flatter.(I actually had to wear a belt yesterday to keep up what had been my snuggest jeans) . I can tell my hands and face are a litttle swollen. I'll keep plugging along for a few weeks and see if my body adjusts. I don't want more food, just more variety of healthy carbs.

Hottie and Kelly, WTG on the jeans NSV's.

Wow Lily, some big changes in store for you. I'm excited for you!!! So you said you added up your calories and it was 2300, did you lose on that amount as well, or only maintain? 18 carbs a day? That's next to nothing. So, I'm curious you didn't eat things like citrus fruits and onions and carrots and sweet potatoes and sugar snap peas and on and on and on, because of their high carb count? Wow, this IS going to be a big change for you. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Constipation can be such a nightmare, my oldest daughter suffers from it terribly, she has since she was little. I hope this helps you. I wish you LOTS and LOTS of luck. Enjoy your new and expanded menu. Jeans looser, tummy flatter - what could be bad? Keep us posted, I'd like to know how it's working for you.

I love reading all these stories. I really do - it's an incredible boost to read through and realise how wonderful the little things are...

I had my review at work on Thursday. It went OK - there are a couple of things I have to work on, of course, but I already knew that going in. During the meeting, my boss made the comment (and put it on the review) that she's been really impresed with the way I've coped in the last six months since she took over the team. She took over the team in late July when the depression was at its worst and since then she's watched as I've gotten back to where I was. I know that I've improved out of all sight since then, but it's nice to hear that from her, and it wa acknowledged on my review document, so her compliments are offiical, so to speak.

lilybelle, good luck with the changes you're making -- I know you'll make it work and it will be great!

nicolen, congrats on the good review at work -- that's fantastic!

I get comments every day about my weight loss now, so today I actually decided to count how many people said something. EIGHT people complimented me today, either asking how much I've lost or just saying I look great (I prefer the latter!) Several of them were students -- the rest were fellow teachers. For some reason, I love when the students say something about it. When teenagers notice something beyond their latest text message, it's a miracle!

So many wonderful NSVs. I love reading them. I think I prefer these over scale victories. Even though sometimes I feel that the scale rules my life!

Anyways, my NSV is that I went shopping today and bought size 16 jeans from the misses side!!! I also tried on a size 14 skirt and it fit great!! I only bought the jeans, because hopefully I won't be this size for long. I was just excited that the skirt fit, and looked good!!

I had a friend stop by yesterday that hasn't seen me in a while and she said that she could really see my weight loss in my neck...I guess this means that I am getting one again!!!

Now for the biggie I have been smoke free for 7 days!!!!

nicolen, WTG on the good review, I know it means a lot when the higher ups notice our efforts and give us praise.

Lisa, it does feel so awesome to get those compliments esp. from the teenagers. I know when my kids or their friends compliment me it means even more than the adult compliments I get. WTG.

crazynette, WTG on the clothing NSV. That does feel so great.

Lucy, WTG on the neck compliment. I basically had no neck to start with. My chins just all ran together. If you see my before pic, you'll see what I'm talking about.

rockinrobin, I did lose my wt. eating that many cal's. My choices were very limited and I definitely didnt get near enough fiber. (I ate strawberries, cherries, cantalope, fresh pineapple and watermelon pretty often). I'd actually feel guilty for craving a banana or orange at times, but did eat them sometimes. (I allowed myself 1/2 a sweet potato every week or two). This really is a very big food change for me. I had whole wheat pancakes with 1TBSP peanut butter and SF syrup this morning. It was awesome. Lunch will be a turkey sandwich on LC whole wheat bread and an apple. Dinner will be spaghetti sauce with whole wheat pasta and a small ear of corn on the cob with 0 cal. butter spray. My snacks today will be a banana and a bag of lite popcorn. With all the fiber I'm now getting, my constipation has gone away and I'm no longer having that big knot in my lower right quadrant of my stomach. These are huge changes for me. I feel like I have a lot of new food choices and I'm loving it. I'm sticking to 1450 cal. max for now and will eventually increase slowly if I find that I'm losing wt. at this. I want to keep my wt. in the 140-145 range. I love using fitday, it is a great help with the changes I'm making. The only down side is that I haven't told my specialist (that put me on the LC diet) that I am changing the way I eat. I see him again in April. I think if he sees that I'm maintaining my wt. that it will be OK with him. I am diabetic so still have to keep that in mind when shopping. I have noticed that since I have hyperinsulinism that with the added carbs that I need my snacks to keep from having my blood sugar bottom out when my insulin surges from the extra carbs. I am having my snack 2 hrs. after my meals. So far, I feel fine. I'm keeping a close watch on my blood sugar by checking it 3 times a day and so far it's staying in the normal range. I don't have anything against the Atkins program. Many people lose a lot of weight that way and I did too. I never felt hungry. Due to my liver disease, I needed the wt. off as quickly as possible. It took it off and for that I am thankful. I just now want a balanced food plan that I can live with for life. Something that is very high in fiber and prevents my stomach pain and constipation. I imagine I lost wt. so great because prior to starting Atkins, I typically had 4000 cal's a day and was nearly bed-bound and certainly house bound. Now, I walk most every day, use the elliptical and have way fewer cal's than I was used to getting.

GREAT NSV's everyone!!! Lily ~ I just love following your posts - always informative for me!

I had my own NSV today ~ we went to Texas Roadhouse for lunch (which I avoid like the plague because I LOVE everything they have!) I have done so well with my new lifestyle, I thought we could give it a try. I DID IT!!!

DH ordered Rattlesnake bites as an appetizer ~ we each ate 2 (and didn't dip them in the horseradish sauce!)The server put those great rolls on the table - and I really didn't even care for one!!! WOOHOOOO!!!

I ordered a large sirloin (which is 16 ounces) and a plain baked sweet potato, and house salad with dressing on the side. I asked for a box as soon as the food came. I cut 1/4 of the steak off for me to eat, and cut the potato in half - and immediately put them in the to go box. (I still have 3 servings of steak to eat - I will eat another 4 ounce tomorrow for lunch and cut the rest of it up for a stir fry tomorrow night!) I ate 1/2 of a roll - and a handful of peanuts and THAT WAS IT!!

My former self would've eaten the whole steak, loaded that potato with borwn sugar and butter, and eaten at least 3 or 4 of the rolls. (and half the order of rattlesnake bites and a ton of peanuts to boot!)

DH said "you're REALLY serious about this aren't you??" YES I AM!!! Andyou know what is the coolest thing of all?? I DIDN'T FEEL DEPRIVED. Not one second! I am just soo excited about this - it was such a big deal for me!

WTG Mrs. Quadcrew on the food NSV. I would have wanted to eat at least 1/2 that steak at one sitting. I do now ask for take out boxes when my food arrives at the table. I actually think a sweet potato baked tastes good with nothing on it. I never used brown sugar on mine, but I did put butter on it generously in the past.

I had one myself tonite. My DD and I were shopping at Walmart. We were very hungry. We walked into the McDonald's there. I asked how many cal's were in the grilled chicken sandwich. They said 420 (I think), I said "never mind, we'll wait and eat when we get home". We came home and ate a PB and SF jelly sandwich on LC wheat bread. Total of 210 cal's. I was proud of this decision. As being new to calorie counting, I'm not too ashamed to ask a food place how much cal's is in their food. I want to do this right. I worked hard to take these lbs. off and I don't intend to regain them.

I think even a grilled chicken sandwich might have mayo and if you left that off it would take off 100 calories.

carol, I thought about that on the way home, the mayo is probably what makes it so high in cal's. I have avoided all fast food places for the past yr. and a half, so might as well keep that as my general rule. . I can remember back to eating the McDonald's meal with the 2 cheeseburgers and they had absolutely a ton of mayo. on them. I used to scrape it off. You couldn't even taste any meat for the mayo.

Lilybelle, way to go on asking how many calories! You did great.

Thanks. It did kind of remind me of the movie. SuperSize Me. It took 3 different people to even find a list of the calories in their food. I felt bad for the people in line behind me. The employees looked at me like it was a joke that I wanted to know the calories.

Lilybelle, when I am stuck shopping like in the mall and I am starving I also ask for calorie counts. I wind up with the frozen yogurt. I remember when I frist asked the man behind the counter how many calories it was. I must have been 240 lbs at the time, maybe more, and he looked at me like I was INSANE. He must have been thinking why in the world would I care. But I did care and I'm entitled to know about what I am putting down my throat.

As for your new diet, it sounds real exciting. Your new breakfast sounded yummy. I am THRILLED for you that your stomach problems are already improved. That is amazing. Now, I thought the whole thing with Atkins is that you DON'T have to count your calories. Am I wrong? That if you wanted to you could eat endless quantities of say chicken breasts. Or eggs or any no carb food. I specifically didn't choose Atkins as my plan even though you can have more calories. There is really nothing I ever want to totally eliminate from my diet. Certainly the pasta and the such would have to be greatly limited, but just knowing that I COULD eat it in moderation is something that appealed to me. Fitday IS pretty cool, isn't it? If you're ever looking for the calories in a recipe try calorie-count. com. No need to be a member. Log on. Click on Recipes on the gray bar, then click on Recipe analyzer when that comes up. I find it much easier to get the facts for recipes on this site. Check it out. I think you will like it.

I'm curious to know why your Dr. chose Atkins in the first place? Did he think with your health issues this was the best plan? well, duh, obviously. If this is not too personal - was he just interested in getting the weight off as quickly as possible or was there a particular reason he wanted you to avoid carbs? I am a firm believer in we know what's best for ourselves, that's why we make our own "diet" plans, based on our needs and wants and that they definitely have to be changed from time to time when they are no longer taking care of our needs, your boredom with the food, your constipation problems are all very, very valid reasons for changing up your diet plan. And I have no doubt that you will be able to maintain with this new lifestyle. I am glad you are going to see your Dr. and therefore will be able to discuss with him the changes that you have implemented. I hope he is in total agreement that the changes that you are making will be in your best health interests. You and I both know only too well how hard it is to lose a baby calf. I'm sure you will do whatever needs to be done to keep that baby calf from ever coming back. Speaking of animals, how are your puppies doing?

Mrs. Quadcrew, I'm very happy for you. You are really into this weightloss stuff. It's a great place to be!!! Keep up the great work.

Dramaqueen, I am thrilled for you beyond belief that you have gone 7 days without cigarettes. Excellent, to say the least!!!

Yes, Nicolen that must have been excellent to hear. WTG!!

LisaMarie, compliments are GREAT, gotta admit it. Teenagers - even better!!!

crazynette, Those clothing NSV's are just the BEST!!!!! I'm very happy for you.

robin, on Atkins you don't count calories at all. When I decided that I'd had enough of the stomach problems and felt it was safe to test the waters to try to maintain my wt. loss in a different manner, I plugged in my typical daily food that I was getting on Atkins to see where to start my calorie level at. OMG, was I shocked. I had been losing wt. and maintaining the loss on 2300 calories a day. . The experienced maintainers told me to expect a water wt. gain while body adjusts to the addition of the carbs. I did go up 1 lb. the first 2 days. I was scared, but I weighed today and am down 2 lbs.

My dr. wanted the wt. off quickly so I could qualify to be put on the liver transplant list. He thought low-carb would work best since my insulin level was 10 times too high. It is now only 4 x too high and I take medicine for it. The nice thing is now that I lost the wt. my liver enzymes have improved drastically. Due to my disease, I will still eventually have to get the transplant but I'm doing OK right now. I'll really think he'll agree with the changes I have made as long as my lab work stays good and I maintain my wt. loss.

Oh the puppies, we have 13 now instead of 12. No, Molly didn't miraculously have one more. DH went and bought a beagle puppy for his daughter. She gets to pick it up in March when she is here for spring break. DH called and told me he was buying this puppy and said "oh it's so cute", my immediate reaction was "if it doesn't have a plug in it's butt, it's not cute to me". LOL. Can you imagine how much puppy poo I have cleaned the last 6 weeks. Thankfully they are all outside now, but we had freezing rain, snow and horribly cold temps for a while and they couldn't be put outside.. My pups should all be picked up over the next 2 weeks. They are adorable, fat and healthy. I'm keeping one pup for us.

I had a small NSV today. It was my son's 21st b-day and I made him chocolate cake with ice cream. I cut myself a small serving of cake with the rest of the family and had actually planned it out ahead of time as a treat and had fit it into my calorie allotment for the day. I decided I could skip on the ice cream. Now that's a first. I sent the entire rest of the cake to work with DH for him to share with his co-workers..